garde
n. countablen. a person or group that protects something, or a position of readiness. You usually see this word today as part of the phrase 'on garde' or 'off garde' in sports like fencing.
n. a posture of defense or a state of readiness, particularly in combat or fencing. While largely replaced by 'guard' in modern English, it persists in specific idiomatic expressions and technical sporting contexts.
The fencer stood in a perfect garde before the match began.
The coach instructed the athletes to maintain their garde even when they felt the opponent was tiring.
Commonly encountered in the French loan-phrase 'en garde' to signal the start of a fencing bout.
he was caught off gardehe was caught off guardIn general modern English, the spelling 'guard' is used for the idiom; 'garde' is reserved for technical fencing or French contexts.